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8:40 a.m. in Barcelona.
Where there is usually morning rush hour traffic, around 100 children now cycle to school in a convoy.
The roads on the route are closed to cars during this period.
The project is called Bicibus, which means bicycle bus.
If you want to »get on« the route, you can join them on a street corner with your bike.
Police and parents accompany the entourage.
Lena Xirinacs, student
»I have to get up earlier... Yes, I like it because I want to take the bicibus, but I also feel very tired.«
The citizens' initiative was launched in March 2021.
Initially, the convoy only drove on Fridays.
Now, more than a year and a half later, the young cyclists meet every day to ride to school together.
For Lena and her father, the route is 2.5 kilometers long.
There are now 15 different Bicibus routes in the city, but not all of them are driven every day.
The project is not only currently helping the children to get to school safely, it could also have an impact on their future behavior on the road.
Jordi Honey-Rosés, Urban Planner, Institute for Environment and Technology, Autonomous University of Barcelona
»We assume that children who take part in the Bicibus will also be more likely to ride their bikes later on. Or at least they will be more used to cycling and using sustainable modes of transport. We also believe that children participating in Bicibus will influence their families' travel behavior.«
Barcelona's Bicibus has also inspired children and parents in other European cities to start similar bike convoys.
For example in Glasgow, Vienna or in Hamburg.
It is one of many small steps that are intended to drive the traffic turnaround and end the dominance of the car in large cities.